Damper-operating device



Nov; 18, 1924- C. E. SPAULDIIQG DAMPER OPERATING DEVICE Filed June -26v1 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ITORNF Y WITNESSES:

1,516,414 C. E. SPAULDING DAMPER OPERATING DEVICE Filed June 26. 1922 3Sheets-Sheet .Ngv, 18 9 i Nov. 18 v WI TNESSEP Q 1111.. A l .5 Fm

C. E. SPAULDING DAMPER OPERATING DEVICE Filed June 26, 1922 Z-SheeLs-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY 85L ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1924.

CHARLES E. SPAUL'DING, OF CENTRALIA, ILLINOIS.

DAMPER-OPERATING DEVICE.

Application filed June 26, 1922. Serial No. 570,950.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. SPAUL- mxo, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Centralia, in the county of Marion and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Damper-OperatingDevices, of which the following is a specitication.

This invention relates to improvements in draft controlling means forlocomotives, the general object of the invention being t. provideautomatic means for increasing the draft when steam is turned into thecylinders and for reducing the draft when the steam is shut ofi from thecylinders, thus increasing the etiiciency of the engine and reducing theconsumption of fuel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cylinder to which steamis lead from the steam passage of the engine with damper operated meansactuated by a pair of pistons in said cylinder for actuating dampermeans which control the supply of air to the ash pan of the locomotive.

further object of the invention is to provide valves for controlling thesupply of air to the combustion chamber above the fuel therein, suchvalves being normally open under the action of gravity but closed whenthe locomotive is working under forced draft.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illus trated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the sovcral views, and in which Figure 1is a side view of a locomotive showing. my invention in use.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of F igure 1.

Figure 3 is a longituxiinal sectional view through the cylinder whichactuates the dampers.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-st of Fi re 3.

igure 5 is end view of Figure Figure 6 is a'seetional view through oneof the vacuum actuated vahles.

Figure 7 is a. bottom plan view of the same. I

Figure 8 is a sectional view of amodilied form of vacuum valve.

In these views 1 indicates the valves or dampers for controlling thesupply air to the ash pan 2 of the engine. These dampers or valves arehinged at their upper edges, as shown at 3. A. rocking shaft 4 is placedat each side of the engine slightly above each valve or damper and thisshaft is connected with each valve-by the arms 5 and the links 6. Acylinder '4' is suitably ranged in front of the fire box and thiscylinder contains a pair of pistons 8, the rods *3 of which areconnected by the links 3.0 with the arms 11 on the rock shafts so themovement of the pistons in the cylinder will be communicated to the rockshafts to rotate the same and .thus' open the vaives or dampers. Springs12 are arranged in the cylinder and tend to hold the pistons in theirinnermost positions with the valves or dampers closed. Steam is adaptedto be admitted to the cylinder at the center thereof and between thepistons by the pipeline 13 which is connected with the steam sup ply inthe steam assage so that when steam is supplied to t e cylinders somesteam will pass to the cylinder 7 so tn tit) pistons will be moved apartand. actuate the rock shafts to open the dampers or valves. Thus airwill pass to the ash pan and an: neath the grate bars to secure theproper combustion of the fuel in the {ire box: The cylinder is providedwith a bleed cot-h- 1 3:.

"The means for decreasing the flow of to the fire box above the fuelcomprises a plurality of valves 15 for closing the air inlet passages 16which lead to the space above the fuel in the fire boa: and. beingoperatively mounted in substantially bcli shaped casings 15ill'llilSVQtSlllg the casings there is a guide member 16 which receivesa stem 17. Each valve is carried by stem 17 which is slidably mounted inthe guide member of the casing and the parts are so arranged that thevalve will normally assume an ope position under the action gravity soth t air will, enter the tire chain bar above the fuel therein. is soonas the draft within the fire box reaches 1. point where the suction isgreater than the weight of the valve and stem the valv will moveupwardly upon its seat and thus close the llG inlet. If prefer, however,to form small holes in the valve 15 to permit a sufficient amount of airin the fire box to provide the products of combustion therein with theproper amount of air.

instead of having the stem of each valve slidably arranged I may providethe valve with a sleeve 15' which is slidably mounted on the lower partof the stem 17, as shown in Figure 8. In this case the valve will moveupon the stem when the suction is eater than the weight or" the valve.

From the foregoing it when the locomotive is idle the dampers 1 will beclosed and the inlets 16 open so that the fire will be dormant. As soonas the throttle is opened, however, some of the steam will enter thecylinder 7 and acting upon the pistons therein will open the dampers 1so that air can pass into the ash pan and through the fuel in the grateand at the same time the valve 15 will be closed by the suction withinthe fire box to shut ofi most of the air entering the upper part herswillbe seen that the maxlmum servlce with the minimum amount of fuel.

What I claim is In a locomotive, inlet means for supplying air to theupper part of the fire chamber thereof including a plurality of alignedvalve members arranged exteriorly upon opposite sides of the fire box,said valve membeing adapted to control inlet passages communicating withthe fire box and each comprising a substantially L-sha-ped casing,

a guide member transversing each casing, a stem depending from the upperend of each casing and slidably mounted in the guide member thereof forvertical movement, and a perforated valve secured to the stem andactuated by gravity and suction of the draft within the fire box as andfor the purpose specified...

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

CHARLES E. SPAULDING.

